年轻人为什么去寺庙?
Why are young Chinese people going to temples?
Name: ________________ Date: ________
Key words
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 参观 | cānguān | to visit (a place); to tour |
| 答 | dá | to answer; to reply |
| 排 | pái | to arrange; to line up |
| 顺利 | shùnlì | smoothly; successfully; smooth; without a hitch |
| 戴 | dài | to wear (a hat, glasses, jewelry, etc.) |
| 压力 | yālì | pressure; stress |
| 放松 | fàngsōng | to relax; to loosen |
| 流行 | liúxíng | popular; fashionable; to be popular; to be in fashion |
| 好笑 | hǎoxiào | funny; laughable |
| 心情 | xīnqíng | mood; state of mind |
| 结果 | jiéguǒ | as a result; in the end; result; outcome |
| 只好 | zhíhǎo | to have no choice but to; to be forced to |
English (for the teacher)
In the last few years, more and more young faces can be seen in China’s temples. Figures from travel websites show that since 2023, clearly more young people have been visiting temples. Why do they go? Let’s look through a few questions.
Q: Which temples do young people like most?
A: The Lama Temple in Beijing is especially popular, and at weekends there is often a long queue. Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou and Jing’an Temple in Shanghai are also places young people often go.
Q: What do they do at the temples?
A: Some burn incense and make a wish, hoping to pass an exam or find a good job; some just walk and sit quietly; and many like to buy a bead bracelet at the temple and wear it, feeling it brings good luck.
Q: Are all these young people Buddhists?
A: Not necessarily. Many young people say they aren’t really Buddhist; they are just under too much pressure at work and school, and want a quiet place to calm their minds. Tickets are cheap and the surroundings are lovely, so it’s more relaxing than going elsewhere.
Q: What do people say online?
A: One line is all over the internet: “Go to work or get ahead? I choose to go and burn incense.” It sounds a little funny and a little helpless, and it captures how many young people feel: they work hard for a long time, sometimes still see no results, and can only go to a temple for some peace of mind.
Some people worry: are young people who go to temples running away from real life? But many feel there’s nothing wrong with burning incense and making a wish, then going back and carrying on working hard.